Targeting patient recovery priorities in degenerative cervical myelopathy: design and rationale for the RECEDE-Myelopathy trial-study protocol.

Introduction: Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a common and disabling condition of symptomatic cervical spinal cord compression secondary to degenerative changes in spinal structures leading to a mechanical stress injury of the spinal cord. RECEDE-Myelopathy aims to test the disease-modulating activity of the phosphodiesterase 3/phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor Ibudilast as an adjuvant to surgical decompression in DCM.

Methods And Analysis: RECEDE-Myelopathy is a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

Understanding and modelling the economic impact of spinal cord injuries in the United Kingdom.

Study Design: Economic modelling analysis.

Objectives: To determine lifetime direct and indirect costs from initial hospitalisation of all expected new traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCI) over 12 months.

Setting: United Kingdom (UK).

Large animal and primate models of spinal cord injury for the testing of novel therapies.

Large animal and primate models of spinal cord injury (SCI) are being increasingly utilized for the testing of novel therapies. While these represent intermediary animal species between rodents and humans and offer the opportunity to pose unique research questions prior to clinical trials, the role that such large animal and primate models should play in the translational pipeline is unclear. In this initiative we engaged members of the SCI research community in a questionnaire and round-table focus group discussion around the use of such models.

Demonstrating efficacy in preclinical studies of cellular therapies for spinal cord injury - how much is enough?

Cellular therapies represent a novel treatment approach for spinal cord injury (SCI), with many different cellular substrates showing promise in preclinical animal models of SCI. Considerable interest therefore exists to translate such cellular interventions into human clinical trials. Balanced against the urgency for clinical translation is the desire to establish the robustness of a cellular therapy's efficacy in preclinical studies, thereby optimizing its chances of succeeding in human trials.

Nitrate signalling to stomata and growing leaves: interactions with soil drying, ABA, and xylem sap pH in maize.

Increasing the nitrate (N) concentration in the rooting substrate above deficiency decreased stomatal conductance and leaf growth rate compared with sufficient N in maize seedlings (Zea mays L.) growing in drying substrate. Novel effects were detected when N in the non-deficient range was supplied directly to the xylem of detached shoots: concentrations above 2.

Alternation of wet and dry sides during partial rootzone drying irrigation alters root-to-shoot signalling of abscisic acid.

Partial rootzone drying (PRD) is an irrigation technique where water is distributed unevenly to the root system such that part is irrigated while the remainder is allowed to dry the soil. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants were grown with their roots in two soil columns to compare the physiological consequences of alternation of wet and dry columns during PRD irrigation (alternate PRD, PRD-A) with retention of the same wet and dry columns (fixed PRD, PRD-F).

Biomass allocation in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants grown under partial rootzone drying: enhancement of root growth.

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants were grown in either a glasshouse (GH) or a controlled environment cabinet (CEC) to assess the effects of partial rootzone drying (PRD) on biomass allocation. Control and PRD plants received the same amounts of water.

Long-distance signals regulating stomatal conductance and leaf growth in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants subjected to partial root-zone drying.

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Ailsa Craig) plants were grown with roots split between two soil columns.

Non-hydraulic regulation of fruit growth in tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Solairo) growing in drying soil.

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Solairo) fruit growth, fruit mesocarp and leaf epidermal cell turgor, and fruit and leaf sub-epidermal apoplastic pH were monitored as plants were allowed to dry the soil in which they were rooted. Soil drying regimes involved splitting the root system of plants between two halves of a single pot separated by a solid impervious membrane to form a split-root system.